Does the 501 (c)at (3) got the church's tongue.

This is something that has been on my mind a lot lately. Many Christians nowadays continue to complain how this government is taking our rights away. We can no longer have prayer in schools, no nativity scenes on public property, and pastors can't promote political candidates from the pulpit. The pulpit is for one use and one use only, to preach the Word. But to say that a pastor cannot speak his mind on a political issue when it needs a Biblical response is ludicrous. Here is the question though. Are our rights being taken from us or did we give them away. I believe that when the church agreed to take a 501 (c)(3) tax exempt status, we gave our rights away. This was a compromise with the world. We keep our mouth shuts in the public square, and we get a tax break. I think this was not only a bad move on the church's part, but also I believe it is unbiblical.

First we are not to compromise the Word and it's demands, for financial comfort. In Matthew 22:15-22 we see the pharisees asking Jesus a question. "Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?". Jesus asked them to show them a coin and tell him whose image was on the coin(Caesars). He told them to render on to Caesar what is Caesar and to God what is God's. Jesus told us to pay the tax and continue to serve God. He didn't tell them to make a compromise with Caesar, and to keep quiet. Also in Matthew 17:24-27. Jesus explains to Peter why we should pay the temple tax. He tells Peter lest we offend them, we will pay them the tax. Church our job is to preach the gospel in the public square. The gospel is offensive to those who are perishing. We need not any other thing to offend the lost, and get in the way of the gospel. Are we so worried about money? Do we not know that if we are doing the will of the Father He will provide? His will is for us to go and preach the gospel. If you read Matthew 17:24-27 you will find that Jesus provided the coin to pay the temple tax. He told Peter to go out and fish and take the first one that comes up and there will be a coin in the fish's mouth. We need to go and be fishers of men and Jesus will provide what we need. Stop relying on the government church and start relying on the Lord. Click Here for a great sermon by R.C. Sproul that touches on this.